


we'd like to think you found your own way home

by orphan_account



Series: The Family Series [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Bucky doesn't know what "boundaries" are, But not in a scary way, Captain America: The Winter Soldier Spoilers, Gen, References to Mind Control, Stalking, just kinda creepy, references to past torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-06
Updated: 2014-06-06
Packaged: 2018-02-03 14:33:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1748015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky has been on the run for what seems like forever, and he's tired and can't run anymore. Before he can turn himself in, he needs to see what kind of people he'll be turning himself over to.</p><p>Captain America: The Winter Soldier spoilers inside!</p>
            </blockquote>





	we'd like to think you found your own way home

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Where's Gerrold?" by Orgy

Bucky had been running for months. Trying to stay off the radar and regain his memories was a tricky thing. And while there were still cracks, his memories were, for the most part, restored. But he was still on the run. He’d thought about giving himself up several times. He knew where Natasha Romanoff was, he could go to her and turn himself in. There was no way in hell Bucky was going to put Steve through arresting him. He’d put Steve through so much already.

He knew that the Captain and the Falcon were after him. He knew it was only a matter of time before they found him. And he was tired of running. But even if he turned himself in, how could he know what would come next? He didn’t know most of the team that Steve was leading now, except that they'd been on the Insight list. If he was going to surrender he needed to know who he was surrendering to. So he needed to do research on four targets.

* * *

 

Target One: Tony Stark

The first target was the easiest to find, and even easier to monitor. Stark was well protected and paranoid enough that he was aware of his surroundings. But he relied too much on his AI to keep him safe. So he waited, and watched.

When he saw him in person for the first time, Tony strongly reminded Bucky of Howard. But the two couldn't have been more different. Bucky remembered Howard as a womanizing, cocky bastard. He and Bucky had never gotten along because he’d gotten one whiff of Howard and he’d known. Something that wasn't in the history books, and no one knew besides him and Steve, was that Howard Stark had been an omega.

He hid it quite well, but it had always bothered Bucky that he’d even bothered. He assumed it was because of his family’s reputation, and the fact that Howard Sr. had been extremely anti-omega. His views on female betas hadn't exactly been enlightened either. Bucky had wondered if Tony Stark knew about Howard.

For all of Tony’s press as a wild man and loose cannon, he was level headed. He didn’t take the best care of himself, but that wasn't exactly a shock. There was Stark’s break up with Virginia “Pepper” Potts, and the Mandarin incident. His anxiety attacks as well didn’t add up to a man who should be remembering to eat three square meals a day and get some sleep every now and again. Stark was alone a lot and Bucky was pretty sure the engineer was talking to his AI more than live people.

He thought that Stark was crazy, but not criminally insane. He wasn't sure there was a single redeeming quality to Stark. He appeared to be a pretty typical alpha egomaniac. And how he’d managed to have a long term relationship with another alpha baffled Bucky.

At least until Stark made a trip to Tennessee. Bucky couldn't figure out why the engineer would even want to go there. There weren't any Star Industries interests or even personal ones that Bucky could find. So he followed Stark down south.

It was the beginning of summer, and Bucky realized that everyone in this small town seemed to know Stark. It was beyond the scope of recognizing a celebrity. The people at the motel asked if he wanted the same room, and one of the waitresses at the diner even knew how he took his coffee. It was easy to see Tony had been here before, many times. Not to mention some of Stark’s actions were puzzling. The weirdest of which was when he placed a poncho over a wooden statue on the outskirts of town.

When Stark arrived at an isolated house and saw the woman out front, he thought perhaps he’d figured it out. She was a lovely omega with bright blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. And the little girl with her had dark hair and dark eyes. Was it possible? Did Stark have a love child with this woman?

But he doubted it. The way the interacted, they were on friendly terms but not intimate. And the little girl was completely disinterested in Stark. After a brief conversation, he went to a free standing garage and knocked on the door. He didn’t have long to wait.

A blonde boy who resembled the omega came out. And the exhilaration on the boy’s face was obvious from Bucky’s hiding place in the woods. He tried to tackle Stark to the ground but he was unsuccessful. Stark flicked his fingers against the kid’s head in playful retaliation. The two were talking fast, and while Bucky could read lips a little, they were speaking too fast for him to keep up.

The kid dragged Stark inside, and Bucky moved in for a better look. Inside the garage it looked like a kids’ paradise to Bucky. With equipment, computers and even a car. Bucky was sure that it had come from Stark, it wasn't as though the kid’s mother could have afforded any of it. For a minute, Bucky was afraid. The kid hadn't presented yet, could Stark be… But no. That wasn't it either. He wanted to know what the connection was between the two.

He got his answer when the kid, Harley, mentioned a bully. “I didn’t even need to use the deterrent you gave me!”

“So he’s leaving you alone?” Stark asked.

“Yeah. I guess since I helped you with the Mandarin no one wants to mess with me. Iron Man might show up and pummel them.”

Stark raised an eyebrow. “Is that what you’re been telling everyone?”

Harley smiled. “I haven’t said a word. That’s just what’s been going around.”

“And you haven’t corrected them.”

“Nope.”

Stark smiled and ruffled the kid’s hair. “Good. So what did you wanna show me?”

Harley proceeded to show off some homemade gadgets. Even Bucky couldn't help being impressed with the kid’s inventions. Stark stayed for hours, giving him pointers and even agreeing to make a few things for him when he returned to New York.

At the end of the day, Stark stayed for dinner. Bucky watched as Stark entertained the family at dinner, making the mother and Harley laugh. The little girl did smile a few times, but she was pretty shy. Her behavior didn't seem to worry Stark, and he was pleasant to the girl. When he left the house that night, Stark attempted to slip some money to Harley’s mother. She politely refused, and he returned to the motel. Stark went back to New York the next day.

So the kid had helped Stark and now Stark was helping the kid. It looked as though the engineer had a soft side after all. After making sure the kid and his family were safe, Bucky moved on. One down, three to go. And he knew that the second target would be in New York any day.

* * *

 

Target Two: Bruce Banner

While the army and most organizations had given up on hunting Bruce Banner down, he still wasn’t the most social of people. Bucky couldn’t blame him. The Hulk was nothing to be trifled with and it was obvious Dr. Banner still wasn’t comfortable with his other half. On the other hand, he was out in the open more. But his work in third world countries often kept him off the radar, regardless.

Which was why it was convenient that he returned to New York the same time Stark did. The two met at the Avengers Tower, Stark close to over enjoyed at the appearance of his fellow scientist. And while Dr. Banner didn’t appear to be thrilled, he wasn't hostile. They two went to the top floors, and Bucky took up a post on another building to watch them.

At first, it was pretty dull. Tony was talking to Dr. Banner, but Dr. Banner wasn't reciprocating. He didn’t even seem to be listening to what Stark was saying. It struck Bucky as strange. He’d thought the two were friends. Perhaps he’d been wrong? He found out later that night he wasn't.

Bucky had been about ready to call it a night when he hadn't seen any evidence of activity since 5 PM. Stark had locked himself in the lower labs hours ago, and Bruce had gone to his room. It was close to midnight and Bucky was bored, until he spotted movement. It was Banner, and he was leaving the Tower.

He wasn't sure where the doctor was going, but Bucky followed him. It was a good thing Bucky was still indistinguishable from a homeless person. Otherwise it would have looked pretty suspicious. As it was, he was practically invisible, and that was how he liked it. And Dr. Banner was none the wiser.

They finally arrived at Dr. Banner’s destination, which was a late night free clinic. Bucky wasn't aware there was such a thing. Dr. Banner went inside, and Bucky managed to blend in with the patients, most of whom were homeless or poor. For a few minutes, Bucky was confused. Why in the name of all that was holy would the doc be here? He wasn't even that kind of doctor.

What did he want at a free clinic? He knew that Dr. Banner had become the Hulk through his experiments… Was that what he wanted to do here? Experiment on the downtrodden of New York? It was possible. Bucky knew Dr. Banner had access to Stark’s assets. It could be that he was doing something to these people. Kicking some money around had a tendency to erase any concerns about health and safety.

The state he was in, Bucky would only be able to get into the back rooms as a patient. So he went to the woman at the front desk and said he was experiencing right lower abdominal stomach pain. He knew exactly which symptoms to give to make it sound as though he had appendicitis, and it wasn't long before he was being led to an exam room.

He kept an eye on the door the entire time, he needed to be certain that Banner wasn't going to leave the clinic before he could check him out. Bucky went into the exam room, refusing to take off his clothes. The metal arm was a dead giveaway, and there was no way in hell he was going to let anyone see it. Instead he let a nurse poke and prod his stomach. Bucky told her what she wanted to hear, and she left the room to get a cup for a urine sample.

That was when Bucky made his move. He slipped out of the exam room, and tracked down Dr. Banner. He overheard him talking, and peaked through a crack in the door. Dr. Banner was seated at a table, and he looked completely exhausted as he sorted through some papers. A physician’s assistant was in the room with him. “We’re not sure what’s causing it. But more and more of them are coming in with these symptoms.”

“It sure looks like its gamma radiation,” Dr. Banner replied. “Have you tested any of them?”

“We don’t have the funding, you know that. And it’s hard enough to get some of these people to seek treatment, let alone go for extra tests.”

Dr. Banner took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, getting up. “Okay so we have 26 people presenting symptoms of gamma radiation poisoning. They’re various ages, races and genders. There doesn't seem to be any common ground except that they’re all well below the poverty level. Do you know where any of them live?”

The PA shook his head. “Most of them are transient, and the ones that aren't wouldn't put down their real address.”

He frowned in return. “They have to sleep somewhere.”  
  
“I don’t know where unless they tell me, and they haven’t been.”

“Wherever the radiation is coming from, it’s at low enough levels I can’t detect it with my equipment but it’s enough to make them sick. That would mean some sort of prolonged exposure over a period of months or even years. They’d have to be spending a lot of time at that location.”

“The only places a bum or a hooker’s gonna spend a lot of time are on the streets looking for cash.”

Dr. Banner frowned. “Don’t call them that. And where the hell did that come from?”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry. It’s been a long week and usually I try to be better than that.”

“So long as you don’t talk to them like that when you’re examining them.” Dr. Banner sighed, looked at the PA. “Think. Where would they go?”

“The mission? Maybe a few squats? Like I said I don’t know.”

Dr. Banner shook his head and got up. He handed the man a card, saying, “If anyone else presents with these symptoms, call me.” And he got up. Bucky left before Dr. Banner could see him.

As he left the clinic, he thought it over. Dr. Banner was sneaking out at night to help the homeless. It wasn't exactly a mystery that was unsolvable. And Dr. Banner had the same thought, because he spent the rest of the night tracking down the people on his list. He talked with them, and in some cases even bribed them for details.

By the time the sun had come up, Dr. Banner had located where the people were being exposed to gamma radiation. It was an old building people would squat in, and the more a person slept there, the more exposure they got. Since most people didn’t stay more than a night, they weren't affected. And it wasn't just old bums or hookers like the PA thought. The people varied from street kids to crazy old ladies who liked life on the street.

Dr. Banner left an anonymous tip, and the building was cleaned out in no time. Bucky thought for sure it was going to be demolished, which meant one less safe haven for the homeless. Instead Stark got word about it and just as anonymously kept it standing and turned it into a homeless shelter.

Bucky couldn't have been more wrong about Dr. Banner. He wasn't some mad scientist with a killer monster inside him. He was trying to use his skills to help the people who needed it the most. The poor, downtrodden masses of the city. And Bucky was sure this wasn't the first time he’d done this. He felt guilty for jumping to such a horrible conclusion about Dr. Banner, and resolved he wouldn't try to do the same for the others.

He’d seen enough. Now he had to go to London. His next target lived there, and he couldn't help but be curious about an alien who said he was the god of thunder.

* * *

 

Target Three: Thor

Thor was even easier to observe than Tony Stark. He didn’t bother with any security measures. He likely assumed any threats to his safety or that of his loved ones he was powerful enough to handle on his own. Bucky tended to agree; Thor was strong, and could summon lightning. Still, while Thor wasn't as observant or paranoid as Banner and Stark, Bucky chose to keep his distance. He’d read up on Norse mythology and the Puente Antiguo incident, and Bucky felt it was better to err on the side of caution.

Thor was certainly an imposing figure, and anyone in their right mind would be afraid of him. But there was more to the god than that.

Bucky watched from a distance as Thor followed a pretty typical routine. He was the kind who would rise early, go for a walk, make breakfast, and do household chores, all of it quite mundane. Bucky was pretty amused by Thor’s frustration with modern technology. It didn’t appear to be as advanced as Asgard’s, and it must have been like being in the Stone Age for Thor.

He liked to use the end of the day to go to a warehouse on the outskirts of London and train. He didn’t have anyone to spar with, or at least there wasn't anyone around who was as strong as him. But he would run and practice his moves… At least until the beast showed up.  
  
Bucky had no idea what the hell it was, and he was ready to take it down when he saw it was running straight for Thor. But when he saw the smile on Thor’s face, he waited. The monster hit Thor like a freight train, tossing him back several yards. He didn’t look as though he were hurt, and Thor was even laughing. He went running at the beast, and knocked it back even farther.

It went on like that for nearly an hour. Thor fought with the creature, and when it was over Bucky was surprised once again. Thor went to Jane’s car and retrieved an entire side of cow. He fed it to the beast, who was worn out but pleased. Thor patted it on the head, saying a few words before leaving for the day.

Bucky couldn’t believe this was part of Thor’s daily routine, or that no one had noticed there was a giant whatever it was in London. But since it wasn’t running around eating little old ladies, Bucky decided to let it slide.

Thor was definitely settling into life on Earth. Bucky thought that living with two omegas helped a lot in that regard. He knew they were Dr. Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis, and as Thor was the only alpha in their lives... To Bucky it wasn’t hard to guess what he was really doing on Earth and it bothered him. He knew of alphas who had more than one omega, and it was something that had always made Bucky angry.

He’d seen time and again. An unscrupulous alpha would take advantage of one needy omega, then another. Before you knew it there was a harem going. Usually, the omegas would be too frightened of the alpha leaving to lodge any protest. He couldn't rush to judgment, as he’d been pretty wrong when it came to Stark and Banner. So he decided he needed proof. After all this might have been something that was normal on Asgard, Thor might not even be aware he was taking advantage.

One morning, Bucky watched as Thor rose early, as was his habit. He left the flat that he was sharing with Darcy and Jane, going to the grocery store, where he seemed a little lost. But he bought food and returned to the flat. When he did he put the groceries away and made coffee, going out onto the balcony to drink it and watch as the sun bathed more of the city.

It was a peaceful moment that was ruined by Darcy. She was wearing a robe and a pretty sexy nightgown… With kitty slippers. It made Bucky snort in amusement. She yelled something at Thor in a playful tone, though what it was Bucky couldn’t be sure. When Thor turned back, Bucky aimed the gun he’d brought with him. He fired, and hit his target without alerting Thor or Darcy.

He’d have never risked getting in close to plant a bug, no matter how sure he was of his stealth skills. He hadn’t even been sure that shooting a bug into the flat had been a good idea. As neither of them seemed to notice, he thought perhaps he was safe. He turned on the audio feed and listened in as the two talked.

“Is Jane still resting?” Thor asked as Darcy sat at the kitchen table.

“Yep. Looks like you wore her out last night.” Thor laughed, but he didn’t comment. Instead he got Darcy a cup of coffee and began making breakfast. Darcy was watching him as she said, “So… Tony called me.”

“Did he? Why?”

“Wants to know if you’re gonna move in with him and the rest of the Avengers. Gotta tell you he was pretty annoyed you’re not answering your phone. Or any of your texts. Or your e-mails. He said you can’t keep using that ‘I’m a cave man and I can’t understand modern tech’ routine anymore because he knows you have an iPod.”

That made Thor laugh again. “I have not decided one way or another. When you speak with him again inform him as such.”

“Got it. You know I noticed you weren't ducking Cap’s phone calls after the thing in Washington.” Darcy raised an eyebrow. “You talked to him recently?”

“A few days past. He still searches for his friend and has asked I ‘keep an eye out for him’. I informed the captain I have not seen him. My heart breaks for him that he still has not found this man named Bucky.”

It felt like Bucky's heart stopped for a moment. He cursed himself for not thinking of it. Of course Steve would ask the other Avengers to look for Bucky. Or if not look at least be aware he was out in the world. Steve had probably made him sound like a little lost kitten instead of what he was; a threat. He hadn't been caught yet, at least.

"So why are you ducking Tony's calls but not Steve's?" Darcy asked, interrupting Bucky's thoughts.

“Captain Rogers calls only when it is urgent. Stark will call out of boredom or to discuss the weather.”

“I don’t know, getting all the Avengers under one roof seems kinda urgent,” Darcy pointed out. “You never know when those lizard bugs are gonna come back.”

“This is true. However I did not leave Asgard and my father’s service only to be in service to another.”

“So you wanna help Earth but more like an independent contractor than working with a company. That kinda sounds like all the Avengers.” Darcy had finished her coffee by this time, and got herself another cup before sitting down again.

Thor raised an eyebrow at her. “I’m not fully certain of your meaning, but I believe you may be correct.”

Darcy shrugged. “And also you don’t wanna leave Jane?”  
  
“No more than Ian wanted to leave you,” Thor replied. That made Bucky’s ears prick up. Who the hell was Ian? “I would fear for her safety were she to reside with me in the tower.”

“Yeah I get you there. Black Widow and Hawkeye are pretty cool but I sure wouldn't wanna hang out with them let alone live with them. Tony and Bruce would probably be BFFs with Jane. But leave them alone too long and they’d end up destroying the world in one of their science experiments.”

Thor laughed. “Perhaps not. Banner is much more level headed than Stark.”

“Considering he’s the Hulk that’s kinda surprising.”

“Not at all. He requires a level head so he is not the monster at all times.”

“True.”

Thor was close to finished cooking breakfast, and he asked Darcy, “When will your young man return?”

“As soon as his mother cuts the apron strings,” Darcy replied, rolling her eyes. “She’s still pretty freaked out over the whole Dark Elves Invade Earth, thing. Now that she knows Ian was in the middle of it she’ll never let him out of the house again.”

“That is unfortunate, I know your feelings for him.”

“Everyone on Facebook knows, I did change my status to ‘in a relationship’.” Darcy told him.

Breakfast was finished by this time, and that was when Dr. Foster appeared. She looked a little rumpled, and had just gotten out of bed if the flannel pajamas were any sign. But she smiled at Thor, and Jane was glowing. She went to him, and Thor wrapped his arms around her. They shared a brief kiss, and then Thor gave her a cup of coffee. Darcy wasn’t even teasing them, instead she was smiling and it was just as warm.

Bucky had to turn away. The sweet domesticity of the scene made his heart ache. He remembered an apartment in Brooklyn. Pulling a skinny little alpha into a hug and a brief kiss over breakfast. He shook his head to clear it, then went back to his surveillance.

It had been a week, and he decided to move on. Things weren't what he thought. Thor was in love with Jane, and Darcy was in serious like with a beta named Ian. Thor was a regal person, and it had nothing to do with his title as Prince of Asgard. He was kind, generous, and always ready to help. Bucky liked him.  
His next target was going to be the hardest to track down. And if he didn’t kill Bucky he’d definitely capture him. Steve and Sam were catching up as well, only a day or two away from arriving in London. It was almost over, they were closing in.

* * *

 

Target Four: Clint Barton

Clint Barton was not an easy man to find. He could disappear even better than Bucky. He hadn't had the most traditional upbringing from what Bucky knew, so that would account for part of it. The rest of course was SHIELD training. Before they’d been brought down along with HYDRA, Clint Barton had been one of their best. Bucky wasn't sure what he was doing now or even where he’d been when the Insight Helicarriers crashed into the river.

Bucky only had one lead, and it was enough. He found Barton in Eastern Europe. It looked as though he was on a mission of his own, but what, Bucky had no idea. He couldn't risk being anywhere near Barton, not even in his homeless guise. But he was still able to keep an eye on him. Barton sure didn’t make it easy. He was hopping from one country to the next as fast as he could.

Whatever Barton was chasing down, he seemed to be closing in fast. It wasn't until they were both in Bucharest that Bucky put it together. He vaguely remembered the city from when he was the Winter Soldier. He wasn't sure why but certain parts of it looked familiar. It wasn't until he was walking along the river and passed the Palace of Justice that he knew why.

He’d been in the city before. And not just on a job, he’d lived here. It was during one of the brief periods in the 70s when HYDRA let him have a little more leeway. They almost treated him like a human being rather than a weapon. Bucky couldn't remember why he’d chosen Bucharest, but after a year on his own, more and more memories had started to come back to him.

It wasn't just the assassinations, either. It was memories of Steve, and that was when HYDRA panicked. They lured him to the Palace of Justice, under the pretense they had a new mission for him. The agents had subdued him with an electric shock and taken him to the basement. There were wipe facilities all over the world, this was where they’d housed the Romanian facility. Bucky wondered if it was still there, and though he was supposed to be watching Barton, he had to know.  
  
Bucky waited until nightfall, and slipped quietly inside the building. The security system was a joke, something that a child could bypass. Bucky remembered the way, the downstairs secret chamber. When he arrived and found Barton there, he couldn't have been more surprised.

Barton spoke first. “This is the last one you know. Tasha asked me to track down the facilities, thought maybe we might find you in one of them.”

Bucky didn’t say anything, choosing instead to watch as Barton went over to one of the computer banks. That didn’t bother Barton, he kept talking anyway.

“See she figured you’d want to go back. Get your brains scrambled so you don’t have to think about what you've done. I called bullshit. I’ve had that happen to me before and the last thing you wanna do is go for another round no matter how bad they fucked you up.” He’d turned on the computers now, and was booting up the program.

Bucky took a step back. He had a pistol on him, but wasn't sure he needed to use it yet. “I had a god in my head. Or at least that’s what he said he was. Turns out he was an Asgardian emo douche with severe codependency issues and a massive inferiority complex. He made me kill a lot of good people. Innocent ones even. I’ll never forget that.”

Barton was looking at Bucky now, and his face was calm as he ran a new program on the computers. As it ran, Bucky realized it was going to burn the hard drive. He didn’t try to stop Barton, instead he asked, “How long did you know I was following you?”

“Only the last day or so. You’re the second person in the history of ever to get the drop on me, you should be proud.”

“The first was Natasha, wasn't it?”

“Exactly. So I’m going to render this facility inoperable, and then we’re gonna get out of here, get a beer and wait for Steve and Sam to come and get you.”

“You called them?”

“Didn't have to. You’re good, you’re easily one of the best. But Steve figured out what you were doing. He might have been days or even weeks behind you but he can put two and two together.”

Bucky sighed. He should have known. “He knows I’ve been observing the Avengers.”

“Yep. He knew what I was doing for Natasha, and I was the only person on the list you hadn't staked out yet. Wasn't that hard to figure out who you were going after next.” Barton crossed his arms. “So you wanna tell me why you were going all creepy stalker on us? You know Tony is gonna flip his shit when he realizes you were watching him.”

“He needs to upgrade his security to include people, not just one AI program.”

“No argument here. Seriously though, why did you do this?”  
Bucky shrugged. “I’m worn out. I can’t run for the rest of my life, and there’s no way in hell Steve would let me. I know he’s the leader of the Avengers and he’d more than likely bring me to you guys. Let you decide what to do with me. I wanted to know whether the people deciding my fate were good people or not. And far as I can see, you are. Or at least not completely evil.”

Barton held his hands up in a ‘stop’ motion. “Wait, are you serious? Aw Bucky come on that’s not what we’re here for.”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you serious? Do you even know what Natasha and I have done? We’re not about to pass judgment on you. Your whole file is on the internet, everyone knows your story now. Believe it or not the majority of people out there don’t want your head on a stick.”

Bucky looked at him as though Barton were on drugs. “You can’t be serious.”

“Oh yeah. When they arrested Senator Stern there was a petition going around. The petition was so that Stern was charged for crimes the Winter Soldier committed. Seeing as he was one of the people in charge of you.” Barton was smiling now. “They also wanted him and the other HYDRA officials who were rounded up to be prosecuted for what they've done to you. They’re putting new laws on the books that deal with mind control and memory distortion just to punish these guys.”

“So… You’re saying I’m not going to jail.”

“No, man. No one’s going to put you in jail. If you wanna stay off the radar that’s fine, but me and the other Avengers? We’d just as soon give you a home. Especially Steve.”

Bucky wasn't sure what to say. His knees felt like they might give out. But he stayed standing, and when the computer went blank he said, “I think it’s time for that beer.”

“Yeah. Come on, I know a great place a couple blocks from here. We can wait there.”

* * *

 

A week later, the Avengers moved into the Tower. Plus Bucky.

The End

 


End file.
